Richard Ankrom's account of his 2001 guerrilla project, in which he painted and installed a missing freeway exit sign on a Pasadena freeway. The sign matched official standards and stayed up for years before being discovered.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN cites it as the best-known example of a citizen quietly fixing public infrastructure, often in threads on unsanctioned civic repairs.
“If you've not heard of Richard Ankrom who fixed an exit sign on the 110 freeway, check it out.”HN comment, 2025
“If you've not heard of Richard Ankrom who fixed an exit sign on the 110 freeway, check it out.”
Documentary on Ankrom's freeway exit sign fix that stayed for years.
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Guerilla Public Service. If you've not heard of Richard Ankrom who fixed an exit sign on the 110 freeway, check it out. He made a documentary about it (and there are countless other videos on YouTube covering the story). this video He did it so well, the modification stayed in place for years. If you can do it right, I say go for it.
Cites itdrawkboxApr 2018
“he added an I-5 sign notification where people commonly missed the exit.”
Ankrom installed an I-5 exit sign where drivers missed the exit.
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Reminds me of the "Guerrilla Public Service" vigilante[1][2] from 2001, he added an I-5 sign notification where people commonly missed the exit. [1] link [2] this video
Cites itgen3May 2022
“Richard Ankroms, who installed his own Interstate 5 exit sign. It hung for 8 years.”
Video of Ankrom installing his own freeway exit sign.
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Reminds me of the story of Richard Ankroms, who installed his own Interstate 5 exit sign. It hung for 8 years. Video of the process: this videolink
